Five Effective Study Methods To Improve Your Grades In 2022

Are you preparing for an exam? Or are you trying to revise your entire curriculum for the finals are near?

Does your study method comprise reading your textbook repeatedly and hoping that you'd memorize even a bit of it? If yes, you need to develop new studying methods or change your study habits for efficient learning. Read forth as I'll tell you a few tips and tricks proven to be useful by students globally.

As a student, you might have a lot on your plate, especially if you are a university student. Working through a semester worth of curriculum in one night is not exactly impossible, but you might not achieve the A grade you were hoping for. If you can, you are one of those students in any young-adult fiction novel that everyone hates because they barely study and get all A's. Maybe such students exist, and they're just good at managing their time and getting good grades even after looking for a short amount of time.

So here are a few tips for you to develop a good study habit and "habitat" (if I may add) to work and study efficiently and increase your learning productivity.

• Sleep: If you wonder that we're supposed to talk about studying, why is the first point 'Sleep'? Well, to expand on that, a sound learning session requires a sound rested mind. Studies have shown that sleep-deprived people remember 10% less information than those whose brains are well-rested. Less sleep can hamper your brain's ability to learn and retain information. Also, multiple studies have found a form of learning called conditioning that can happen during sleep. It means if you complete all the steps of your sleep cycle after studying, your brain is more likely to remember all the information you acquired during your study session.

• Improve your study environment: Many wonder if there is a correlation between learning space and studying? Scientific research has proven that a learning environment plays a significant role in increasing students' focus and attentiveness. A good learning space results in productive learning and encourages higher performance levels. It also motivates higher levels of critical thinking in students.

• Discard distractions: If your parents keep asking you to put your phone away while studying, have you ever wondered why? Let me tell you that they're not wrong in doing so; keeping checking your phone while learning decreases your focus and hence your productivity. Not just phones, any distractions like televisions, any book other than your textbook, and even the extra pens on your desk can distract you. Do away with the books and stationary unrelated to the subject you're studying. Keep only current learning books and necessary things for looking to avoid getting distracted.

• Snacking: You know that feeling when you are about to sleep, but you feel the need to use the bathroom and then you cannot sleep until you do so. Well, hunger while studying is like that, when you're sitting at the same place for hours and working your brain to grasp a plethora of information. Sitting doesn't mean you won't get hungry often; students get hungrier while studying, and it shouldn't be avoided as it will be a cause of distraction. Coffee isn't the best option I must tell you, it may keep you awake, but it's unhealthy drinking coffee on an empty stomach. You can try having fruits, multigrain bars, yoghurt, salad or some healthy sandwiches. If you're worried about who's gonna prepare these for you, we'll always make these before you start studying.

Well, now that you know all the do's and don'ts to a productive learning session, you can plan your studying session and get on with it today. Remember to get enough sleep, clean your working space and eat something when you feel hungry; good luck with your next study session.

Five Most Effective Study Methods You Can Start Using Today

Mind mapping:

This one is the most popular one on our list, popularly used by many, the mind-mapping method.

A mind map is a graphical portrayal of thoughts, concepts and tasks linked to a central subject using a diagram in a non-linear way to build a framework of thoughts of an idea.

MInd mapping appeals to you visually through elements like diagrams, different shapes and colours to emphasize a concept. This method is effective to learn a pile of knowledge through keywords on the maps, and it is also time-saving.

Distribution review method:

This method is somewhat similar to the SQR3 process; the difference is you study, have a practice test, review and revise in the same order but for a longer period. All the steps remain in the same order; the period gets distributed. Try studying by this method for a week, then try repeating this after two weeks to test if you remember what you learned, then after a month and so on.

This method is effective if you have to remember some information for a longer time or if you want to study throughout the semester. You can also make flashcards for quick revision.

Teaching method:

This method is effective for reviewing what you have studied. Write the concept or subject as the heading on a paper, then explain and jot down the idea for yourself as if you are teaching someone. Speaking out while studying helps stimulate your auditory senses as well. Once you are done explaining, review your accuracy and then correct your paper technically concerning the subject.

Making Notes:

Many students already use this method, as writing whatever you study is effective in recalling it during exams. You can write whatever you are studying as if you are making notes. Of course, you might already have memos for the subject; just write down the important points or a summary of the concept you are learning. This method is useful for studying a week before the exam and can help you review effectively.

These methods are proven to be useful for students and might as well be useful for you. Add these to your studying habits and start today's productive learning journey.

11 Bad Study Methods At College That You Should Change Immediately

1. Avoid last-minute working on your assignments as it will result in underwhelming grades, and your professor might find you unproductive. Plan and start working on it way before the deadline.
2. Unplanned study sessions are proven to do more harm than good. Such study sessions will not help you learn anything and may result in you being more confused than enlightened.
3. Studying with distractions like your phone is not an effective way to learn as you are wasting your time on your social media while your book is waiting.
4. You must avoid cramming before exams; this will not help you revise and can make you nervous before the exam.
5. Memorizing can be a blessing in disguise or a total disaster; if you only depend on you remembering the concept, then understanding it can be harmful to you in the long run.
6. If you are a student with disorganized notes, you must work today to get them sorted. Unorganized information will waste your time and can be distracting while studying.
7. Students who skip classes are wasting their time and money at this point. Why would you pay tuition if you aren't going to be in class?
8. Unproductive studying is the bane of one's learning process; you can spend hours studying yet not grasping the concept. Try the study methods mentioned above to make your study sessions effective.
9. A disorganized study space can lower your focus and make your studying session less productive.
10. Students who don't seek academic help from their professors or mentors can negatively affect their learning process.
11. Procrastination is every student's biggest challenge, but you must schedule your working and learning time.

We discussed all the do's, don'ts and effective methods for effective studying. Use all the above-listed methods for productive learning and increase your focus while studying. Students tend to develop bad study habits, resulting in more confusion and bad grades. If not avoided, these bad habits will make you struggle throughout your academic life, and some students even opt to drop out of school. Work on yourself this year 2022 to eliminate all the negative habits affecting your study time and enhance your scores effectively.